Not so sure about that, during his first incarnation when the great Windies quicks were still good but a fading force, he struggled mightily and was promptly moved down the order because of this. Have always thought that more bowlers like that during his golden period in the early noughties might have sorted him out. He's a great but goes hard early and has had technical issues but for a long time there seemed to be a dearth of great bowlers allied with a plethora of flat tracks.

Kallis and Tendulkar would be technically equipped to deal with them pretty well you'd think.

Tendulkar never faced the WI in his first 5 years of test cricket and when he did in 1994 the bowlers were Walsh, Cuffy and Benjiman in India. The first test Tendulkar faced Ambrose was in 1997 in the twighlght of ambroses career.

Tendulkar never faced the WI in his first 5 years of test cricket and when he did in 1994 the bowlers were Walsh, Cuffy and Benjiman in India. The first test Tendulkar faced Ambrose was in 1997 in the twighlght of ambroses career.

Punter was young when he first faced the Windies bowlers but equally they were certainly past their peak. Most critics actually say the peak of their greatest bowlers was the 1978-84 period. After that they unearthed some good quicks but had never bowled so fiercely again with such a quartet, sometimes a quintet. And to make matters worse, umpires were very lax on the short ball and over-rates were slow and not enforced during that period.

Just finished reading a book which suggested that reverse swing was certainly around in the early 70s, though obviously the great Pakistani bowlers perfected it later.

Comfortably the best? Won't argue that he's the best as I reckon he probably is the best player of pace bowling I've seen, but just not sure he's comfortably better than Sachin or Lara against pace. I know I'm being pedantic but hey.

In response to the question, no batsman of the last 20 years would face Marshall and Lillee and play them "easily". Some will succeed, but they won't play them easily.

I think it's a shame that the likes of Waqar, Ambrose, Donald et al retired for the period where Ponting was in his absolute peak. Because even when he was green he played them exceptionally well. There would have been fantastic battles. Lara definitely had trouble against the best pace bowlers of his time, Tendulkar was a bit of a mixed bag; but I hold Ponting above them. They had him on spin though.

I just think he made the margins for fast bowlers so small. Depending on the length he'd get forward and drive you or quickly get on the back foot and pull you. He made it look ridiculously easy and simple. From what I remember from FC cricket he even made McGrath his bitch.

Originally Posted by Briony

Punter was young when he first faced the Windies bowlers but equally they were certainly past their peak.

No, I am fairly sure he played them when they were at their peak or still very very good. Averaged 40. Was also very good against the other two great pace sides in Pak and SA.

I think it's a shame that the likes of Waqar, Ambrose, Donald et al retired for the period where Ponting was in his absolute peak. Because even when he was green he played them exceptionally well. There would have been fantastic battles. Lara definitely had trouble against the best pace bowlers of his time, Tendulkar was a bit of a mixed bag; but I hold Ponting above them. They had him on spin though.

I just think he made the margins for fast bowlers so small. Depending on the length he'd get forward and drive you or quickly get on the back foot and pull you. He made it look ridiculously easy and simple. From what I remember from FC cricket he even made McGrath his bitch.

No, I am fairly sure he played them when they were at their peak or still very very good. Averaged 40. Was also very good against the other two great pace sides in Pak and SA.

Ponting was top batsman against the short ball but vulnerable to inswing at a high pace.

Even in the recent series, he smashed Ishant and Zaheer but looked shaky against Yadav.

Who can forget tha big inswinger with which Yadav sent Punter's off stump cartwheeling at Perth?

I think it's a shame that the likes of Waqar, Ambrose, Donald et al retired for the period where Ponting was in his absolute peak. Because even when he was green he played them exceptionally well. There would have been fantastic battles. Lara definitely had trouble against the best pace bowlers of his time, Tendulkar was a bit of a mixed bag; but I hold Ponting above them. They had him on spin though.

I just think he made the margins for fast bowlers so small. Depending on the length he'd get forward and drive you or quickly get on the back foot and pull you. He made it look ridiculously easy and simple. From what I remember from FC cricket he even made McGrath his bitch.

No, I am fairly sure he played them when they were at their peak or still very very good. Averaged 40. Was also very good against the other two great pace sides in Pak and SA.

He debuted in the mid-90s. That attack was nowhere near the quality that this thread title was posing.

Not so sure about that, during his first incarnation when the great Windies quicks were still good but a fading force, he struggled mightily and was promptly moved down the order because of this. Have always thought that more bowlers like that during his golden period in the early noughties might have sorted him out. He's a great but goes hard early and has had technical issues but for a long time there seemed to be a dearth of great bowlers allied with a plethora of flat tracks.

Kallis and Tendulkar would be technically equipped to deal with them pretty well you'd think.

Did well enough in 1996 and 1999 vs West Indies, first series only got two Tests but made a fine 88 in the first one at the Gabba, and then averaged 50 in "Lara's series".

I tell you who else used to fall a tad across their stumps and work the ball through wide mid-on from off, was Greg Chappell. And he did alright against those attacks, from memory. :

In fact, Ponting technically looks more like the batsmen from yesteryear than your Kallis' and others.